deals

4/19/2025 Weekly Freebies and Deals

Abby H.

This week might be a little light on freebies, as it is Easter weekend. A lot of businesses will be closed tomoorw, 4/20/2025.

However, I’ve updated my list of freebies for birthdays in 2025, which you can find here.

If you are looking for free food resources, my comprehensive list can be found here. It is focused on San Diego County, but additional resources are outside my area.

Let’s get onto the Freebies!!

FREEBIES:
FREE 4×6 Photo Magnet at Walgreens
FREE American Spirit Butt Pouches – Order Every Month
FREE Magnetic Parts Bowl or Bottle Opener
FREE DSS Games Family Fun Party Pack
Stuff Your Kindle Day! Score Thousands of Free eBooks on Amazon
FREE Full-Size Maybelline Color Tattoo Longwear Multi-Use Eye Shadow Stix
Get Free Nike Gear: How to Become a Nike Product Tester
FREE Sample of Biotek Hybrid Long Lasting Eyebrow Pigment
FREE Kinship LittleKin Puppy or Kitten Sample Pack – $200 Value
FREE Year of Google AI Gemini Advanced for College Students
The Ultimate Guide to Free Toothpaste Samples
Get Free Beauty Product Samples With Topbox Circle
Get Free Condom Samples Online and In-Person From Your Favorite Brands
Free 2025 National Parks Entrance Days
FREE Charlotte Tilbury Fragrance Sample
FREE Sample of CeraVe Ultra-Light Moisturizing Gel
FREE Coca-Cola Orange Cream or Coca-Cola Orange Cream Zero
FREE Spinning Trinket Box Craft for Kids at Lowe’s
FREE 2025 Seaworld Teacher Fun Card
FREE Glade PlugIns Air Freshener Warmer After Walmart Cash
Get Your Free Teeth Whitening Samples: A Brighter Smile Awaits
FREE Sample of Neutrogena ULTRA SHEER Face Liquid Sunscreen
FREE Carolina Herrera Good Girl The Feminine Fragrance Sample
Easy Ways To Get Free Men’s Cologne Samples
FREE Birdy Buffet Workshop at Home Depot
Get FREE Coffee at Wawa on April 16th
FREE Spring Flower at Lowe’s
The Best Free Skincare Samples to Request Right Now
Free Perfume Samples You Can Get Right Now
FREE Sample of L’Oreal Absolut Repair Molecular Mask
FREE $35 Purchase at Walmart After Cash Back
10 FREE 4×6 Photo Prints at CVS

Deals:

Dirt Devil 7-in-1 Handheld Steamer ONLY $29.98 (Reg $45)
JCPenney Boxed Necklaces and Earrings ONLY $9 (Reg $75) – 88% Off!
Hello Blink Sticker Maker ONLY $12 at Target
Ozark Trail Foldable Chair with Cupholder Only $6.98 at Walmart
$12 Shorts for Adults and $10 Shorts for Kids at Old Navy
Roku Express HD Streaming Device ONLY $19 (Reg $29)
Luggage From Samsonite, Travelpro & More up to 65% Off at Macy’s
Kate Spade Ginnie Crossbody ONLY $79 (Reg $199)

Regal Cinemas: Monday Mystery Movie only $9!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Regal Cinemas Monday Mystery Movie? I hadn’t until this slid into my inbox this morning! This coming Monday, 4/21/2025, you can see a NEW PG movie before its official release date for only $5, or FREE with Regal Unlimited. Plus, get a $9 combo with your ticket purchase!

You can learn more or buy tickets online here.

Our local Regal shows the Monday Mystery Movie at 7pm, so it might be too late for little kids, but it might be a fun family outing for bigger kids.

April 2025 Upcoming Clothing Swaps

Abby H.

I love clothing swaps- If you have read my blog, you know it’s one of my favorite ways to refresh the kid’s wardrobes (and my own).

And as always, if you are looking for more information about clothing swaps, check out my post (with other San Diego, CA area resources)  here.

April means Earth Day is coming up! And that means clothing swaps!

Clothing Swap at La Mesa’s Earth Day Fair!
Join I Love A Clean San Diego for a free clothing and accessories swap during the City of La Mesa’s Earth Day Fair on Saturday, April 19th, at the La Mesa Community Garden! Swap your gently used clothes, shoes, and accessories and find your next favorite outfit while helping keep textiles out of the landfill.

La Mesa Community Garden – 5080 Memorial Dr.
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
No registration is needed – walk-ins are welcome!

Women’s Clothing Swap
Location: The Chapel at Grossmont
5651 Water St, La Mesa, CA
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10 am-2 pm
How it works:
Bring your gently used* WOMEN’S CLOTHING, accessories, shoes, etc. and trade them for items you want to take home. No selling, no buying, just swapping. You simply drop off your items on the front table and you can start shopping for items you want to take home – free! Come and drop off all the items you want to swap and leave with items that will bring value to you.
Items can include:
-Gently used* or semi-new clothing pieces
-Gently used* or semi-new shoes
-Jewelry pieces
-Accessories: scarfs, hats, purses, belts
*Items should be freshly laundered and either on hangers or laid flat in a box (not in bags, please)

Reminders:
– SWAP FOR YOU. NO LUGGAGE PLEASE. NOT FOR RESALE.
– Bring a bag to take home all your finds.
– Wear tights and a fitted blouse to easily try on clothes.

April 2025: New Healthy Freebies From Social Nature!

Abby H.

 If you are into Organic/Natural/Healthy products, then Social Nature is right up your alley. Sign up and apply to sample products that you are interested in. I usually receive 4-6 offers/freebies per month, sometimes more if I have time to shop. And most of the time it’s full-size products, not just a tiny sample.

In addition to the offers where they mail you a coupon for a free product, Social Nature has started offering 100% cash-back, similar to Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. I love this because I can select exactly what I want, Social Nature tells me which local stores have it, and I can add it to my next shopping list.

And it’s just as easy as Ibotta and Fetch Rewards. Snap a pic and upload it. You can select Venmo, Paypal, or an Amazon Gift Card for your rebate.

Here are just a few of the offers available now:

    • Small Batch Pasta Sauces by Sauz
    • Double Cold Brew Latte by Pop & Bottle
    • Gluten-Free Whipped Feta by Athenos
    • Natural Cleaning Solution by Cleanery
    • Mental Performance Shots by Magic Mind
    • Gluten-Free Twin Bar by Schär
    • Gluten-Free Cookies by Schär
    • Korean Chile Sauce by Mother-In-Law’s
    • Italian Protein Pasta by BRAMI

Saving and Earning Money for College with Upromise!

Abby H.

I’ve had an Upromise account for almost 20 years.

It’s a great way to earn and save money for college. I used my earnings/savings to pay for my college textbooks and parking pass when I finished my AA’s after a long break from college.

The Upromise savings tools and automatic transfers let you set goals and transfer your earned rewards into college savings plans.

Receive a $5.29 bonus when you sign up for a free Upromise account.

Receive a $30 Welcome Bonus when linked to a 529 account. A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan designed to encourage saving for future education costs.

Upromise® Mastercard® – Cardmembers earn 1.529% cash back rewards on purchases when their Upromise Program account is linked to an eligible College Savings Plan, or 1.25% cash back rewards on purchases if their Upromise Program account is not linked. Apply today at upromisemastercard.com

There are a lot of ways to earn money with Upromise: Shop online through their portal or add their Chrome Shopping extension to earn extra money. Upromise also has a Dining program, where you can earn cash back for dining at specific restaurants and paying with linked cards. I recently had dinner at a new restaurant with some friends and received an email that I earned cash back with  Upromise!

If you are looking for more money saving tips for college, check out my post here. 

Free and Discounted Museum Tickets with Museums for All!

Abby H.

Have you heard of Museums for All? This is an incredible program that offers those receiving food assistance (SNAP benefits). You can gain free or reduced admission to more than 1,400 museums throughout the United States simply by presenting their EBT card and a photo ID.

This includes those who received the SunBucks EBT card over the summer. There are museums in every state that participate.

Some of our favorite museums include:

  1. Living Coast Discovery Center
    (Chula Vista, California)
  2. San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
    (Escondido, California)
  3. San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
    (San Diego, California)
  4. The New Children’s Museum
    (San Diego, California)
  5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
    (La Jolla, California)

The best part is that there are no special times or days to visit.

Easter Basket Supplies on a Budget with Dollar Tree!

Abby H.

Easter Sunday is coming up on April 20th! That gives us a few short weeks to make Easter baskets! As always, I’m looking at Dollar Tree to help me make some cute baskets full of fun for each kiddo for $25 each!

First, we’ll start with a fun basket or tote. Dollar Tree always has a wide array of baskets, totes, and fun containers.

Here are some of my go-tos for a fun Easter Basket. My kids are tweens/teens. I tend to skip toys and go straight for consumables or items I know they will use.

  • Bath Bombs (I like to shop in-store for these- the in-store selections of bath bombs is always great)
  • Body Wash
  • Lotion
  • Lip Balm
  • Beverage Mixes
  • Water Bottles
  • Hand Sanitizers
  • Playing Cards
  • Combs or a Hair Brush
  • Emery Boards
  • Candy
  • Snacks

My local Dollar Tree has a great collection of Skincare and Personal care dupes. From Bath and Body Works dupes to Bubble Skin care dupes, I always find great deals at my local Dollar Tree.

Buying Sewing and Craft Supplies Frugally

Abby H.

I love sewing. I have been creating clothing, costumes, and home goods for decades.

Losing stores like JoAnn Fabrics means turning to online retailers or looking for supplies in thrift stores, apps like OfferUp, or even on Facebook marketplace. 

Brick and mortar fabric stores have been disappearing for about the last 10 years, and for some of us stores like JoAnn fabrics were the last place that we could go in person and buy fabric to make clothes, notions like thread and sewing machine needles, and patterns.

I love shopping at thrift stores for fabric and notions, but it can be hit or miss.  I frequently pick up flat sheets to make mock ups for fitted clothing, as they are less expensive than muslin by the yard. When I need something specific, I look online for deals.

Did you know that apps like Temu and Alibaba partner with small and local businesses in addition to large overseas factories? On Temu, you can select “local warehouse stores” to shop local companies. Not only will you be shopping locally but you may experience faster shipping times. 

I recently purchased bias tape, which I needed for some upcoming projects, and I was able to find a local warehouse store that had two of the colors that I needed. And in less than five days, I had two spools of black and white biased tape in my hand. And it was shipped from Indiana, which isn’t local to me, but was at least purchased by a company in the US.

In fact, if you look at the bottom of the front page of Temu, it has a link to click where you can learn more about selling your products on Temu. It’s not just gigantic faceless mass manufactured factories overseas, anyone can sell their products on Temu.

I have purchased T-shirts in the past that have come from a small business in Orange County California through Temu. I’ve also purchased 3-D printed items from a small company in the Midwest that sells via Temu.

Fun, Free, & Frugal Events for Kids & Families in San Diego, CA

Abby H.

With better weather and Spring Break on the horizon for most of us, it’s time to get out of the house and find some fun, free stuff to do!

San Diego is full of fun outdoor adventures. If you are looking for places to take your kids for some hikes or walks, Hidden San Diego has a list of 40 kid-friendly hikes here. Hidden San Diego also has some amazing information about San Diego’s history, locations to explore, and even some creepy lore surrounding America’s Finest City.

If you’ve read my blog for a while, you know about the JCPenney Kids Zone free crafts that occur every second Saturday of the month in selected JCPenney stores.

You probably also know about the Home Depot Kids Workshop, which takes place every second Saturday of the month. However, some stores do one every single week; you just need to check your local Home Depot store to find out.

Did you also know that Lowe’s Hardware store does a similar activity on the third Saturday of each month? 

Lakeshore, the educational store, holds free kids events, including storytime with Pete the cat and sensory events.

If you are in the eastern part of San Diego County, the Water Conservation Garden at Cuyamaca College offers free admission on Fridays from 9am-4pm.

While not always free, Michaels offers in-store classes for both Kids and adults. Sometimes, the classes are free, and sometimes there is a class fee (usually $15 or less). Classes run for about an hour, and you need to take something really cool home with you.

The San Diego Craft Collective at Liberty Station has a free class on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 6 PM.

Don’t forget their resident free days at Balboa Park every single Tuesday.

If you’re looking for more fun, free events, check your local shopping center or mall. Parkway Plaza in El Cajon has a free kids event every month. It usually involves a craft and some sort of fun games where you can win prizes. 

Groupon always has discounted admissions to local attractions like Legoland, Birch Aquarium, and indoor trampoline/play places.

 When I find more, I will definitely post more. 

Where do I find good, quality freebies?

Abby H.

I’m always on the lookout for good, quality freebies. What I mean by that is items that have value. Not just monetarily, but items that I will use. That can be anything from free food to a brand new washing machine and dryer.

A lot of of the freebie programs I have used in the past are no longer around (Example Tryit berged with Influenster), so those are not included in my list; however, here are some that I use today and recommend to others.

This list does not include rebate apps or anything where there is any sort of out-of-pocket where you are reimbursed later.

JCPenney All-Star advisors: While this program is around, I don’t think they are currently accepting any new members. I couldn’t find any info online about how to sign up or join their waiting list.

Home Tester Club is pretty cool. They are one of my new favorites. You sign up to review items, and they send you something. A lot of the time, they don’t notify you prior to shipping. you’ll get a package in the mail, and a few days later, you’ll get an email notifying you that you were selected and a link to the survey to complete once you have sampled the product. I’ve received all sorts of great skincare, cosmetics, food, and clothing from Home Tester Club.

Tryazon: The kids and I have been participating in Tryazon events for 5-ish years. We’ve gotten to try all sorts of fun toys, games, organizational products, and food.

Influenster: To get all of the products and free stuff offered by Influenster, you have to download the app.  When they send an offer for a free product, you have to jump on it right away. Their offers go fast! I’ve gotten clothing, cosmetics, perfume, and household appliances through Influenster.

Ripple Street: this company rebranded recently and was previously known as House Party. You can learn about them here. 

Smiley360  is a Word of Mouth (WOM) marketing website. Sign up for campaigns and you will receive samples to use, and coupons to share with friends. Report your sharing and earn points! I’ve received Laundry detergent (full-sized bottles), vitamins, supplements, tampons, and razors in the past.

If you are looking for apps or companies that offer 100% rebates on food, check my post here.

Talk back: What is your favorite website for getting free stuff?